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Neotoma lepida

Thomas, 1893

Desert Woodrat

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104732
Element CodeAMAFF08040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyCricetidae
GenusNeotoma
Other Common Names
desert woodrat (EN) Un Ratón (ES)
Concept Reference
Patton, J. L., D. G. Huckaby, and S. T. Álvarez-Castañeda. 2007. The evolutionary history and a systematic revision on woodrats of the Neotoma lepida group. University of California Publications, Zoology 135. 472 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Neotoma insularis has been split from N. lepida by Patton et al. (2007). Subspecies aureotunicata, auripila, bensoni, devia, flava, harteri, monstrabilis, and sanrafaeli of the species Neotoma lepida were regarded together as a distinct species, N. devia, by Musser and Carleton (in Wilson and Reeder 1993; see also Mascarello 1978 and Jones et al. 1992). Musser and Carleton (in Wilson and Reeder 2005) included aureotunicata, auripila, bensoni, flava, and harteri in N. devia; all other subspecies/synonyms in the devia-lepida group were allocated to N. lepida.
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-02-28
Change Date1996-11-12
Edition Date2005-02-28
Range Extent Comments
Southeastern Oregon to west-central Colorado, south through Nevada, northwestern Arizona, and southern California to southern Baja California (Musser and Carleton, in Wilson and Reeder 2005).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A 23-38-cm-long rat; dorsum is grayish, with a mixture of black hairs; venter is white or buffy; tail has short hairs covering the scales and is bicolored, and the length is about 75% of head-body length; hind foot length is 28-41 mm; basilar length of skull 30-36 mm; last upper molar has a shallow re-entrant angle on the tongue side and a straight or slightly bent posterior re-entrant angle on the cheek side (Ingles 1965).

Habitat

Sagebrush scrub; chaparral; deserts and rocky slopes with scattered cactus, yucca, pine-juniper, and other low vegetation; creosote bush desert; Joshua tree woodland; scub oak woodland; pinyon-juniper woodland; riparian zones; also recorded from salt marsh (see Verts and Carraway 2002). When inactive, occupies elaborate den built of debris on ground, among cacti or yucca, along cliff, among rocks, occasionally in tree. Young are born and reared in a nest within the den.

Reproduction

Gestation lasts 30-36 days. Females produce 4 or more litters/year. Litter size usually is 2-3, but may number 1-5 young. Young are weaned in 21-34 days (depending on litter size), reach sexual maturity 2-3 months (Burt and Grossenheider 1964, Hoffmeister 1986).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralDesertBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
ArizonaS5Yes
ColoradoS2Yes
IdahoS4Yes
NevadaS5Yes
OregonS4Yes
Navajo NationS3Yes
UtahS4Yes
Roadless Areas (3)
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
HortonInyo National Forest5,717
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Angel Peak SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,540
References (31)
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  5. Bradley, R. D., C. W. Edwards, L. L. Lindsey, J. R. Bateman, M. NB Cajimat, M. L. Milazzo, C. F. Fulhorst, M. D. Matocq, and M. R. Mauldin. 2022. Reevaluation of the phylogenetic relationships among Neotomini rodents (<i>Hodomys</i>, <i>Neotoma</i>, and <i>Xenomys</i>) and comments on the woodrat classification. Journal of Mammalogy 103(5):1221-1236.
  6. Brooks, R. J., and E. M. Banks. 1971. Radio-tracking study of lemming home range. Communications in Behavioral Biology 6:1-5.
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  17. Krohne, D. T., and G. A. Hoch. 1999. Demography of <i>Peromyscus leucopus</i> populations on habitat patches: the role of dispersal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77:1247-1253.
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